Suspension device



' Oct. 23, 1962 F. J. STRAW SUSPENSION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1960 zfllll IWII, Elli/ nn I FRANK J. STRAW m M Attorney Oct. 23, 1962 Filed Jan. 5, 1960 F. J. STRAW SUSPENSION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o E 32 a0 uvvnvrm ma/wr J. .STRAW y M M Affarney 3,059,721 SUSPENSION DEVICE Frank J. Straw, McCandless Township, Allegheny County, Pa. (Nelson Drive, Pittsburgh 37, Pa.) Filed Jan. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 575 2 Claims. (Cl. 182-13) This invention relates to a suspension device and more particularly to a device for suspending a person from the fire wall of a building when it is desired to clean windows, replace glass in the windows, or paint the window frames. The most common way of doing this prior to my invention was to suspend a ladder from the fire wall of the building after which the workman would climb down the ladder, clean or otherwise work on a series of vertically spaced windows, climb up the ladder, get on the furnace roof, move the ladder to another position, then climb down the ladder and repeat the operations. This is slow and difficult work, since the ladder is heavy and diflicult to handle.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a suspending device wherein the workman can move horizontally from window to window without having to climb the ladder to the roof.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my device installed on a building;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the ladder portion of my device;

FlGURE 3 is a side elevation of the framework attached to the top part of the ladder;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a bracket attached to the lower part of the ladder;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing a carriage utilized with my device; and

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line VIVI of FIGURE 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates a building having a fire wall 4 around the roof thereof and a plurality of windows 6 at various elevations. The device of my invention includes a carriage 8 and a ladder assembly 10. The carriage 8 consists of two transverse L-shaped members 12 and 14 preferably formed of metal channels. Spaced apart longitudinal members 16 and 18 extend between the horizontal legs of the L-shaped members 12 and 14, one at each end thereof. The members 16 and 18 are preferably made of metal channels with depressed portions 20 and 22 therein. The member 16 is preferably permanently attached to the L-shaped members 12 and 14. The member 18 is preferably adjustably attached to the L- shaped members 12 and 14 for a purpose which will appear later. For this reason the horizontal legs of members 12 and 14 are provided with a plurality of holes 24 which are spaced to conform to similar holes in the web of channel 18. Bolts 28 passing through the holes in channel 18 and selected holes 24 provide the necessary connection. A pair of wheels 30 are mounted in bearings 32 attached to the underside of channels 16 and 18 adjacent L-shaped member 14. Bearings 34 and 36 are attached to the underside of channels 16 and 18, respectively, at the end adjacent member 12. A shaft 38 is States Patent 3,059,721 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 mounted for rotation in bearings 34 .and 36-. A wheel 40 is mounted on shaft 38 between bearings 34. The shaft 38 is provided with splines 42 for receiving a wheel 44 mounted between bearings 36. A sprocket 46 is keyed to that end of shaft 38 extending beyond channel 18. An endless chain 48 is mounted on the sprocket 46. Wheels 50 and 52 are mounted on the vertical legs of L-shaped members 12 and 14, respectively, with their axes substantially vertical. In FIGURE 1 the carriage 8 is shown without the sprocket 46 since the carriage may be moved along the building in many different ways.

The ladder assembly 10 consists of a ladder 54 which may be made in a plurality of sections as shown, a frame 56 attached to the top of the ladder and a bracket 58 attached to the ladder some distance below the top thereof. The frame 56 consists of spaced horizontal members 60, reinforcing members 62 and 64 and downwardly extending legs 66 attached to horizontal members 68. A plurality of holes 68 are provided in members 60 and similar holes are provided in members 66. Bolts 70 passing through the holes in members 66 and selected holes 68 fasten the members 66 to the members 60. Bracket 58 consists of horizontal members 72 attached to the ladder, connecting members 74 and wheels 76 mounted on member 74 with their axes substantially vertical.

The operation of my device is as follows:

The member 18 is connected to L-shaped members 12 and 14 at the desired position depending upon the width of the fire wall 4. The legs 66 are then attached to the members 60 at a corresponding position. The carriage 8 is then placed on the fire wall as shown in FIGURE 1 with the wheels 30, 40 and 44 resting on top of the fire wall and the wheels 50 and 52 bearing against the inner side of the fire wall. The ladder assembly 10 is then placed on the carriage 8 with the members 60 resting against the sides of the depressed portions 20 and 22 of the longitudinal members 16 and 18 and the legs '66 bearing against the inner end of member 16. The wheels 76 will bear against the face of the building as best shown in FIGURE 1. The workman starts at the top windows 6 in one vertical row and works downwardly to the bottom of the row. Then, by turning the chain 48 he can move the carriage to the next vertical row of windows and work on them. This continues until the operations are complete. If desired additional brackets 58 may be attached to the ladder at other elevations.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for suspending a person from the fire wall of a building comprising a carriage, said carriage including .a transverse L-shaped member at each end thereof having a generally horizontal leg and a generally vertical leg, a wheel mounted on each of said vertical legs with its axis substantially vertical and adapted to bear against the inner surface of said fire wall, a longitudinal member extending between said L-shaped members and attached to the horizontal legs thereof adjacent the inner end thereof, a second longitudinal member extending between said L-shaped members and attached to the horizontal legs thereof adjacent the outer end thereof, means for 3 varying the distance between said inner and outer longitudinal members, a pair of wheels mounted on each end of said frame having their axes substantially horizontal, said wheels extending below the bottom of said frame for resting on top of said fire Wall, a ladder detachably carried by said carriage, a framework attached to the top of said ladder, said framework including generally horizontal legs extending inwardly from said ladder and downwardly extending legs attached to the inner side of said legs a distance at least the width of said frame from said ladder, means for varying the distance between said last named vertical legs and said ladder, an inwardly extending bracket attached to said ladder a substantial distance from the top thereof, wheels mounted on said bracket with their axes substantially vertical, and means 5 for limiting longitudinal movement of said framework on said carriage.

2. A device according to claim 1 including means for 4 rotating at least one pair of said Wheels, said means including a horizontal splined shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a sprocket on the outer end of said shaft, a chain suspended from said sprocket, and a drive between said shaft and one pair of wheels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 230,459 Baker July 27, 1880 536,232 Potts Mar. 26, 1895 1,086,329 Liess Feb. 3, 1914 1,118,385 Timmerman Nov. 24, 1914 1,423,998 Camp July 25, 1922 2,685,957 Schlesinger Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 174,704 Great Britain Jan. 27, 1922 

